


Unspoken

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [121]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Boys In Love, Don't copy to another site, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Short & Sweet, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 14:59:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18780607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: More then once, Stephen found himself pressing his lips together tightly, while Tony raised an eyebrow at him, found himself digging sore nails into aching palms to hold back the words.





	Unspoken

   It was quiet but for the sounds of Tony’s tinkering and the whirring of his loyal bots. The workshop, which had once seemed like some foreign room that admitted the few and friendly had quickly become a third home of sorts for Stephen. All the same, he found himself watching Tony work with rapt attention, mindful of his own work and the necessity for silence.

   It was always a sight to behold. Without fail, Tony would wear a tank top and jeans, or on lazier days sweatpants. It took about an hour but soon enough the man will have worked up enough of a sweat to make Stephen’s mouth water, embarrassing as it might be. Of course, the only thing that was more enticing then the physical proof of his hard work, was watching his intellect in action.

   Stephen had found himself cataloguing all the little ticks and tells of his passion. The way he would mutter under his breath, the way his hands seemed to move faster then his brain at times and he paused, forcing himself to slow down. Or, when he was drawing and examining blueprints, he would go from quick drawings to quite suddenly trashing the thing he’d dedicated days on and starting anew, working three times as fast.

   There was this light that Stephen always waited to see. His eyes, so hooded and focused, would quite suddenly widen, darting across plans and mechanical parts strewn over his table, then inevitably that smile would follow, the one that made Stephen’s breath catch and his own lips twitch in response.

   It was mesmerizing.

   His attention hadn’t gone unnoticed of course. Stephen had suspected, that once Tony realized Stephen spent more time ogling him then working that the invitations to join him would slow or cease all together. It hadn’t, if anything he’d been joining the man more often then ever and Stephen was beginning to think it was because it stroked the man’s ego, not that Stephen minded being in that role.

   Still, conversation was slow between them. Stephen knew that Tony usually worked with music on, though it had never been that way when he was there. Some part of him figured it might be Tony’s way of inviting conversation between them, but Stephen couldn’t bring himself to interrupt the mastery being presented to his eyes. There were other times and places to converse, and they did.

   Lately, though, Tony had been shooting him looks of his own. Occasionally, eyes would meet his before darting back to his task, a small smile sent his way in acknowledgement, amused glances that did nothing to deter Stephen, who met each one with his own, unflinchingly.

   It was difficult to believe sometimes, that he was dating this man. Tony Stark, one of the most brilliant men to have ever lived and he was willingly spending his time and attention on Stephen of all people. That wasn’t insecurity talking but rationalism, because their lives were both wrought with danger and consumed with work. On a scale of incompatibility, they were on the highest end, though naturally it was a challenge that seemed to entice them rather then repel them.

   But neither of them were stupid. They were taking it slow, very, very slow, glacial at Stephen’s insistence, even as he found himself constantly faced with a lover who was eager to run and jump ahead in reckless bounds. Because, Tony wasn’t afraid to admit that he loved him, those words dancing off his tongue as though it were the easiest thing in the world.

   Stephen…well he wasn’t so ready.

   Yet, sitting in this workshop and watching him work, smiling at the looks being sent his way, it almost felt safe enough to say it, to admit it. More then once, Stephen found himself pressing his lips together tightly, while Tony raised an eyebrow at him, found himself digging sore nails into aching palms to hold back the words.

   It had only been one month, and it was far too soon for an admission of that size, no matter how Tony felt about it. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder as Tony quietly admonished Dum-E, if that wasn’t part of Tony’s strategy here, the man had always been crafty.

   “Hey, you doing alright?”

   Stephen blinked at Tony, whose browns were furrowed, a gentle concern that made his heart ache in those warm depths. He ignored the words sitting on the tip of his tongue, the butterflies in his stomach and offered his own soft smile, “fine, perfectly fine.”

   It didn’t matter that Tony didn’t believe him, it didn’t matter that he hadn’t said the words, because when Tony carefully took his hand in his, and pressed light kisses over the scars, the knowing look in his eyes said they already knew everything Stephen couldn’t say.


End file.
